of eighty miles, at high prices; and their nearest postoffice, for the transmission of letters, was Cincinnati, 125 miles off. Being the younger missionary, our late brother generally traversed the latter route two or three times a year, all alone and on horseback, He invariably experienced the protection of the Lord by day and by night, so that he was never molested in the least, either by man or beast, and often realized a most powerful and comforting sense of the Savior's presence, during such lonely trips.

"During the inclement season," he says, "I generally carried a small tent with me, which I would pitch in front of a fallen tree, and then keep up a large fire during the night, while reposing my weary limbs on a blanket spread out on the ground, my saddle serving me in place of a pillow. My greatest concern was my horse, whom I had to allow so much liberty, as to enable him to seek his food in the vicinity, because I was continually in danger of losing him, or myself in the woods. The object of my journey being known, that I expected to return with a supply of funds, well-meaning people would sometimes advise me not to travel unarmed and alone through the dense forest, for fear of being maltreated or robbed by wicked borderers living among the white people. But I invariably replied, that since the Lord had thus far held his protecting hand over me, I felt confident He would continue to do so; and if He should withdraw it, I did not believe that any firearms would be likely to save me.

During the first summer of our stay, we were visited and welcomed by the two oldest Delaware chiefs, Packantschihilas and Tetepachsit. The former was an aged and renowned warrior, but a hardened pagan, strongly opposed to the conversion of his tribe to Christianity. The other was the principal, as well as the oldest chief among his people, who in 1802, accompanied by some of his men, paid a visit to the city of Washington, and also to the village of Litiz, where our brethren and sisters gave him a very honorable reception. Both of these chiefs assured us, they had given their people permission to visit us and to hear the word of God, and that they would order them not to molest us in any way, nor to pass through our place when they were drunk. Soon after, however, we learned, that they labored all they could, to prevent any of their people from moving to us and adopting the Christian faith, because they feared that this would be attended with the loss of their own dignity and influence over them. Moreover they reproached our people because so few of them had moved over from the Muskingum, when, as they alledged, they had called upon the whole of them to come. There were four Indian towns located within a distance of from three to eight miles from us, viz: Woapicamikunk, Monsey-Anderson and Sarahtown, with two other chiefs, named Hackinpomska and Kiktuchwenind. In each of these towns there was a council-house, about forty ft. in length, and twenty ft. in breadth, where they usually celebrated their sacrificial feasts and dances. These houses were built of split wood, piled up betwixt posts set in the ground, covered with a roof made of laths and the bark of trees, and having an entrance at either end; but there was neither floor nor ceiling, three fireplaces stood in a straight line from end to end, with large kettles suspended over them in which a mess of Indian corn and meat, boiled together, was prepared for the guests to eat, after the dance was over. Platforms, one foot high and five feet wide, were raised all along the sides of the house, which were covered first with bark and then long grass on the top of that, to serve as couches for the guests to sit or recline upon while smoking their pipes and witnessing the dancing of the rest.

These dances were invariably got up in the night, and sometimes continued for weeks together. The whole was concluded by a sacrificial feast, for which the men had to furnish the venison and bear's meat, and the women

the cornbread; and every thing had to be prepared in the council house, before all feasted together, amidst the observance of certain rites. Thus for instance, the servants threw the bread at random among the people, when every one was allowed to scramble for as much as he could get. Finally two beautifully tanned buckskins were handed over to two old men, appointed for the purpose, who, after holding them up in front of the house, in the direction of the sun's rising, spread them out, while mumbling certain sounds, whereby they profess to call upon their God, while returning thanks for their health and long life. Eventually they receive these skins as a reward for the service rendered on this occasion. I was once witness to such a dance during one half of the night, (at a time, when I did not yet fully understand their language) at Woapicamikunk, when a large number of Indians, with their chiefs, were assembled together. A trader, named John Conner, who had married a Delaware Indian woman, and with whom I boarded that night, had invited and introduced me to the dancing party, because he was very fond of such exhibitions himself. He assured me, that the Indians strove to serve God after this fashion, and that he had known many, whose dreams had been verified.-On such occasions the chiefs usually address speeches to their people of both sexes, and rigidly enforce total abstinence from all gross sins, especially drunkenness, (although they themselves are very far from practising what they teach) while recommending them to practice hospitality, love and concord, as things that are wellpleasing unto God. This proves, that even savages are capable of distinguishing between good and evil, and are possessed therefore of a conscience, that either accuses or else excuses them, and that will judge them at the last day,

Their pretended worship is based exclusively on sensual enjoyments and prerogatives, and has reference to long life, wealth, renown, honor and good luck, and frequently to a longing desire of possessing supernatural powers, and to be put into fellowship with imaginary tutelary gods, whom they expect to grant them reputation and influence. Such as pretend to these things, generally succeed in gaining certain advantages at the expense of others; but at the same time, they run the risk of being stigmatized as wicked characters, whose arts and supernatural powers are engaged by others, to put their enemies out of the way. The minds of the Indians of both sexes are full of these notions, and this evil has taken such a deep root among them, that even such as profess to be delivered from the power of sin by the death of Jesus, still maintain the existence of such hostile powers among the heathen, by means of which they can secretly destroy each other, either by poison or witchcraft, and hence they readily yield their hearts to suspect, that such a deed has been committed. A special measure of divine grace is therefore required by a truly converted Indian, in case of sickness or emergency, to abstain from calling in the aid of sorcerors, and to resolve rather to die as believers in the Savior, and thus to inherit eternal life, than to regain their bodily health through forbidden medicines, and then to perish everlastingly.

The pagan Indians, on being told that the Son of God, as the Savior of the world, assumed our nature, in order to redeem us from the power of sin and Satan; that wicked men crucified him; that he arose again from the dead and ascended into heaven; usually evade the subject, by saying, that they had no hand in the execution of the Son of God, because it neither took place in their country, nor was their nation implicated in its perpetration. Their God, they contended, had also once come down from heaven, in winter, in a snowstorm, his feet provided with huge snowshoes, and had staid a considerable time among them, prescribing to them their mode of life and sacrificial feasts, which they had ever since punctually obeyed.

They not having maltreated their God, but having given him an honorable dismissal, they accordingly had no occasion, like the white people, to reproach themselves with the crucifixion of their God, &c.

Others entertained the opinion, that God had given the Bible to the white people only, who could read it, and who ought, therefore, to labor to live up to its prescriptions. But that he had appointed the chace and sacrificial feasts as the mode of life for the Indians, or the men of the forest; whence they deemed it to be their duty to adhere to the rules prescribed to them. Others again staked the opinion, which, however, did not meet with general approbation among them, that the Indians sprang from a source, different from that of the white people; wherefore it was unlawful for them to adopt their customs, and to regulate their lives by their religion. Others, who were opposed to the gospel, unblushingly asserted, that political motives had induced us to come and preach to them, in order to tame them, and then to deliver them into the hands of the white people, as had years ago been done on the Muskingum, during the war.-From all these opinions we drew this plain inference, that we should have to encounter the prince of darkness among this people, who, it was reasonable to suppose, would not readily suffer his prey to be taken from him, more especially as the Indians themselves were only too much inclined to fortify themselves against the truth by lies and silly and erroneous modes of reasoning, because they preferred darkness to light.

"Being often greatly annoyed by the drinking bouts got up in the Indian towns in our vicinity, when the savages would come to our place, shoot down our best porkers and carry them off, against which outrage we dared not complain, we resolved in the spring of the year 1806 to go in quest of a spot, where we might be less disturbed by these annoyances. Accordingly in the beginning of March, I went out with our brother Joshua on an exploring trip to the Mississinuway creek, which forms a branch of the Wabash river. For this purpose we went by way of Woapicamikunk, where we found the Delaware and Monsey tribes assembled to hold their anniversary festival for sacrificing and dancing. This time, however, they had not met to honor their tutelary gods, but chiefly to devise ways and means for the apprehension and execution of all poisoners, witches and wizards in their country, under the pretence, that these characters were the cause of so many Indians being cut off in the prime of life. The young men therefore clubbed together, and took the reins of government into their hands. They held a secret council in the woods, and there resolved, that every one, who had rendered himself suspected of the aforsaid crimes, should be taken before their grandfather, the fire: if there he would give up his poison and renounce his hidden arts, he should be acquitted; if not, he should be tomahawked and his body consumed to ashes.

Having taken up our quarters with an Indian family, who had pitched their tent at a short distance from the rest of the motley crew, we were very soon to our suprise and alarm, informed of these proceedings, and could tell by the fixed and stern looks of the old men and women, that a great commotion was astir among them, without however being able to divine the issue of this state of things. We now proceded to the above mentioned creek, and after stopping there one night, we returned home in safety on the afternoon of the fourth day. An hour had barely elapsed, after our return, when 7 savage Indians, painted black, arrived, and at once informed us, that they had orders to bring up Joshua before their tribunal, inasmuch as their old chief, Tetepachsit, who had been arraigned as a poisoner, had declared, that he had, during his visit in our neighborhood last winter, left his poison in Joshua's hands, wherefore he must now be confronted with him. We all

felt dreadfully alarmed at these tidings, but still comforted ourselves, that, in case he could prove his innocence, no harm would be done to him. After partaking of a meal with us, he took leave, and with an apparently calm and collected mind, set out on his way without the least hesitation. After Joshua had pleaded his cause before the judges, and been acquitted by them, he made a motion to return home forthwith. But he was told, that both himself and all that were present, must submit to another trial, as soon as the expected Shawano prophet, (Tecumseh's brother) would arrive, who was to asceertain each one's innocence or guilt, because the Monsey female, who had hitherto exercised the office of a judge, refused to do so any longer, under the pretence, that the duty was too arduous for a woman to discharge, and because she had an extraordinary vision, during which she had devoured a light, that had thrice appeared to her. Joshua was therefore compelled to submit to another ordeal, for the purpose of removing all suspicion from himself. But on the arrival of the Shawano prophet, this man declared, that, although it was true, that Joshua had no poison in his possession, still he was able to destroy a man's life, when he desired to offer him as a victim to his tutelary god, by means of a magic power. This was quite enough to render him hated and suspected by the superstitious multitude, among whom Satan had his special agents for the execution of his malevolent purposes.

They now conducted poor Joshua to a large fire, and there formed a ring around him. They demanded of him to confess, how many persons' lives he had already destroyed by the aforesaid means. On solemnly declaring his perfect innocence in this matter, one of the savages, no doubt as a preconcerted signal, stepped out of the ring, and went up to the fire, for the purpose of lighting the pipe at the end of his tomahawk, which was stuffed with tobacco. But no sooner had he retreated from the fire, than he gave Joshua a blow on the head from behind, with his tomahawk, which being instantly repeated by others, and all raising a tremendous yell, they barbarously threw his dead body into the fire, where it was wholly consumed.

Such was the tragical end of our poor Indian brother Joshua, who, although he might not be ranked among the martyrs, who died for the sake of the gospel, yet was no doubt, an object of envy and hatred to the enemy of souls, because he would often testify with a warm heart, both in public as our interpreter, and in private in his dwelling to such as called to see him, of the greatness of the love of God in Christ Jesus to poor sinners.

On the very day that he was murdered at Woapicamikunk (of which fact we were still in ignorance) some six or seven Indians, all painted black, had conducted the aged chief Tetepachsit through our settlement. Without stopping a moment, after hastily snatching up a firebrand in one of our Indians' houses, they proceeded to a certain tree in the neighborhood, where the prisoner was reported to have last had his poison. After digging for it there as well as at other places, he had pointed out, without being able to find it, and in spite of his protestations of innocence, he laying the guilt of his death, if they intended to murder him, at their door, was likewise dispatched with a tomahawk by his own adult son, and his dead body, after it had been stripped of his belt of wampum and other articles found on it, was cast into the flames.

Some of these murderers, whom we knew, entered our houses on their return, while we were perfectly ignorant of the crime they had just committed. But they gloried in their act of barbarity, while the son, wearing his father's belt of wampum, and exibiting some of the other articles referred to above, said: " This belonged to him, who discarded my mother and his oldest children, and took him a young wife!" Beginning now to feel alarmed about

the fate of poor Joshua, we ventured to put in a plea in his behalf. Whereupon one of them, whom we well knew, replied, that we ought not to plead his cause, because he was a bad man, who by means of the magic power he possessed, had probably made way with many a man ere this; but after all left the impression upon our minds, that he was still alive. Next day I accordingly set out on my way to Woapicamikunk, in hopes of at least getting a sight of Joshua, and to exhort and comfort him at least if I could do nothing else for him. After traveling 10 miles, one half the distance, I met the Indian chief Kiktuchwenind, who informed me, that Joshua had been murdered the day before at Woapieamikunk about the same time that they had dispatched the old chief Tetepachsit in our vicinity. Unable to conceal my regret at the death of Joshua, I gave it as my opinion that he had died as an innocent man, when the chief remarked with a very grave mien, that he had received the doom he deserved; and that other wicked people were likely to suffer in the same manner, who made way with others by poison or supernatural means. When I enquired disapprovingly, why they executed their people in such a barbarous manner, he replied: "You white people likewise try your criminals, and whenever you find them guilty, you hang them, or execute them in some other way; aud we are now doing the same among us. Another of our chiefs, Hackinpomska, is now under arrest on a similar charge; but his fate still remains undecided."

The reader may readily conceive, what a painful blow this event gave to our hearts and hopes. We scarcely knew what to say or think of it. Our stay in this place was rendered more and more doubtful, more especially as different reports reached us, that the natives would shortly drive us hence, or at least advise us to leave, before any harm could be done to us. We resolved to make direct inquiry of the council at Woapicamikunk about the foundation of these rumors, and ascertain whether they were true or false. I accordingly went thither, and finding the council met, I desired them to express their mind without reserve, concerning our future stay among them. They replied, that the rumors we had heard, had not originated with them, but possibly with some of their young people; that they could not express any opinion on the subject, inasmuch as they had, strictly speaking, never called for any white teachers, but had merely requested their own relations at the Muskingum to remove out to them and of those however, not the families expected the White Eyes and the Killbucks-but only a few others had come. We were therefore free, either to go or stay, at pleasure; but that they did not design to place any obstacles in our way. With this declaration they sent me for further advice to the aforesaid Chief Hackinpomska, who although now a prisoner, still retained his office and standing. He, coinciding with the council in opinion, remarked, that they had hitherto lived in ignorance concerning the way they should serve God; but that he had recently raised up some characters among themselves, who spoke by revelations, and that they were now about to purify themselves from all evil.— Hence they no longer required the aid of white people, as their fathers had heretofore imagined.

We hereupon concluded to remain where we were, until we should receive advice from Bethlehem what to do, which we knew beforehand, could not reach us before August.

During this interval, (from March to Aug. 1806) we were frequently annoyed by the drinking carousals kept up in the Indian village nearest to us, until they finally began to gather at our place for the same purpose. In order to escape their presence, we had to lock our houses, and take up our abode in our sugar cabins in the woods, until order was again restored among them. (To be continued.)